Chapter 7
A week later'Donna!' Josh yelled as he walked into the bullpen. She wasn't at her desk as he walked past but he saw her coat on the stand so he knew she hadn't left. 'In here' he heard her yell back from inside his office. 'Hey. I wasn't sure if you'd still be here' he said as he walked in. It was Monday and Josh had been so busy he had barely seen her today. 'The president wants the staff to get together this weekend for debate prep. It's Thursday through to Saturday in North Carolina, want to come? It'll probably be fun' he says. 'I can't' she replies as she files away the various papers that are in her hand. 'You can't?' 'No, Jenny and I are going to see Ryan Adams on Friday' Donna said, turning around to look him in he eye. 'That's this week?' 'Yeah. It's on the calendar' she replied, pointing to the calendar on his desk which she'd marked 'Ryan Adams' months ago when she got the tickets. 'I forgot' he replied, suddenly feeling a little upset at Donna not coming along with them. 'You said it would be ok when I booked it' she said, trying not to get pissed off that he forgot she wouldn't be here. 'It's fine, I just forgot is all. Can you clear my schedule please' he asked as he watched her nod. He watched as she moved around his office, he couldn't help it. He was trying but his eyes just seem to follow her.
She knew he was watching her, she didn't mind but Donna knew if she stepped closer and stared back they'd be on his desk within minutes. So she carried on with what she was doing. 'You need this?' Donna asked, holding up a red binder and facing the filing cabinet. 'Yeah' he said as he moved closer to take it from her. She turned to face him, holding out the binder as she leant back against the cabinet. She looked up as he took it out of her hand, her hand brushed against his and she felt it. That feeling she'd felt when he rubbed her shoulders in Indiana, that little bolt of electricity as their fingers met. She felt her pulse quicken before he stepped away from her, binder in hand as he swallowed hard. Being near him was difficult enough without knowing what it felt like to kiss him so she moved quickly toward the door. She said goodnight quickly as she got her coat and bag before leaving for the night. Josh sat in his chair, flicking through the binder before throwing it down on the desk. They'd said this wouldn't change their working relationship but now the only thing Josh wanted to do was change it. He ran his hands through his hair before leaning back in his chair. 'Five weeks' he said out loud to himself.
'Josh kissed me' Donna said as she sat on the bar stool across from her friend. 'No!' Jenny gasped, staring wide eyed back at Donna. Donna nodded as she stirred her cocktail with the straw. 'When? Where?' Jenny asked. 'In Indiana! When we got left behind by the motorcade. In the hotel room' she said to her friend who was still sat there with her mouth wide open. 'I can't believe he finally did it!' Jenny replied, shaking her head. 'What do you mean?' 'Donna come on, I've seen how he looks at you. I'm guessing that he's probably thought about it'. Donna shook her head as she watched her friend nod in response. 'So what happens now?' Jenny asked. Donna looked down at her drink, mixing it again with her straw. 'Nothing. We decided it's probably best to just stay as we are. He's still my boss and I don't want to leave my job right now' she said, before taking a large sip of her mojito. Jenny stared back at her friend, a little sad at what she was hearing. 'Are you sure that's what you want?' Jenny asked. 'It's for the best. It was a...mistake'. 'Donna, I know that I don't know Josh all that well but I'm guessing he doesn't kiss people he doesn't want to kiss so I doubt it's a mistake. And I know for a fact that you don't' Jenny says, watching as Donna avoids her gaze. 'He's my boss'. 'That could change if you both want it to' Jenny replied. She was concerned for Donna, even if she wouldn't admit it Jenny knew Donna wanted more with Josh. Whether that happened now or in another four years time was up to them. 'Well this is what we decided so...' Donna replied, not entirely sure how to respond without giving away the depth of her feelings for Josh. Jenny watched Donna finish her drink in one large sip. 'Come on, we don't want to be late' she said as she sipped off the bar stool and waited for Jenny to finish her marguerita.
It was gone midnight when Donna and Jenny got home from the concert, Jenny was staying overnight with Donna. 'Thanks for getting the tickets! That was amazing' Jenny said, as she took off her heels. 'It was. It was exactly what I needed after this week, we've been so busy'. 'I'll bet' Jenny said as they both sat on the couch. 'So back to you kissing Josh' Jenny said as Donna sighed loudly as she got up to go into the kitchen. 'You know you can get another job. You could be with him'. 'He doesn't have time for a relationship. I watched the last one crash and burn and that can't be us'. 'You guys could be different, you'd make time'. 'The next month is gonna be non stop. He doesn't have time to make it work'. Jenny nodded as she listened to the reasons why it couldn't work. 'Maybe after the election?' Jenny asked. 'God I wish I'd never told you. I'm trying to forget that it happened' Donna said as she made coffee for them both. 'Ok I'll stop talking about it, I need to know one thing though' Jenny said as she got up from the couch. 'What?' Donna asked. 'Was it good?' Jenny asked, grinning back at Donna. Donna smiled back at the memory before nodding, 'amazing'.
When her cell phone rang at 1 AM she didn't need to look at the caller ID. Jenny was on the pull out couch in the other room. She looked at her phone for a moment before answering. 'Hi' she said. 'Hi is it too late, I thought you'd still be up after the concert'. 'I wasn't asleep it's ok'. 'How was the concert?' 'It was good. How's it going there?' She asked. 'Ok, we're getting a lot done'. She could hear Josh sigh a little. 'Andy's pregnant with twins. And Toby's the father' he said. 'Wow. I didn't even know they were back together'. 'They're aren't but he wants to be' Josh replied. 'Hopefully they'll work it out' Donna said as she got into bed. 'Are you in bed?' 'Yeah just got in'. He tried to get the image of her in bed out of his head. 'I wish you were here' he said, almost without realising. Donna closed her eyes and lay back against her headboard. 'You still there?' Josh asked, not expecting the silence. 'Yeah' she replied. 'I thought I'd lost you for a second' he said. She could feel his trepidation through the phone. 'I'm still here'. 'I meant what I said'. 'I know you did, Josh. I just wish things were different' she said. She wasn't sure where she'd found her confidence, maybe it was her conversation with Jenny or the 6 cocktails but she felt like they needed to clear the air. 'I know. Me too' he said as he he pinched the bridge of his nose. 'It's harder than I thought it would be' she said. He closed his eyes, she was right. This was harder than they thought it would be. Every time he saw her he relived that moment in Indiana. He hadn't wanted to talk to her about his plan to talk to Leo yet but he felt like he needed to. 'Can we talk after the election, I mean really talk about this. I just need to do this now, I know you understand how important this is' he said, she could feel how heavy this was weighing on him. 'I do' she said, the hope in her voice evident. 'Good. I'll let you sleep now. I just wanted to tell you about Andy'. 'I'm glad you called. I'll talk to you tomorrow'. 'Yeah good night, Donna'. 'Goodnight' she said before ending the call. Smiling to herself as she turned off the lamp.